Protective mat for shopping baskets



April 22, 1958 J. v. GRAFFEO PROTECTIVE MAT FOR SHOPPING BASKETS File dMay 2, 1955 1N VENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,831,599 PROTECTIVEMAT FOR SHOPPING BASKETS Joe V. Grafieo, Dallas, Tex.

Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,265

3 Claims. (Cl. 220-19) This invention relates to grocery shoppingbaskets usually used in conjunction with carriages in grocery stores andit has particular reference to protective mats adapted to cover thebottoms of such baskets.

Baskets of the type referred to herein are usually fabricated from heavygauge wire and are inseparably joined to the framework of the wheeledcarriage which carries two of such baskets, one above the other, thebaskets being so designed and constructed that the carriages may benested, that is, the baskets are telescoped one within the other toconserve space when not in use. It frequently happens that duringshopping, merchandise such as liquids or finely divided materials isspilled and readily falls betwen the wires of the baskets and collectson the running gear of the carriages, causing them to take on anunsightly appearance, which necessitates frequent and costly cleaning.It is desirable that the running gear of these shopping carriages beprotected against materials falling thereon through the baskets of thecarriages to the extent that the running gear be kept clean for longer.

periods of time, thus improving the appearance of the carriages andbaskets as well as reducing the expense of maintaining the carriages inproper operating condition.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide aprotective mat adapted to conform to and lie on the bottom of shoppingbaskets to intercept materials which would otherwise fall through thebaskets and collect on the running gear of the carriages thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mat having longitudinal,relatively parallel ribs for support ing solid objects above liquidswhich may be caught in and drained off through the spaces between theribs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mat of rubber or otherplastic material which is cut or molded to the shape of the bottom of ashopping basket and provided with a smooth surface from which finelydivided materials or liquids can be readily removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective mat forshopping baskets whose edges are serrated or notched to receive thevertical wires forming the basket, thus to hold the mat againstdisplacement from its proper position in the basket.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a protective mat ofthe character set forth in which at least two sides and the forward endof the mat are turned upwardly to form retaining walls for anysubstances which may be released from packages, cartons or bottles andcollect on the mat.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds Figure 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2, and

2,831,599 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 ice Figure 4 is a perspective view of amodified form of the invention.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference ismade to Figures 1 to 3 wherein numeral 10 denotes generally the matforming the subject matter of the invention, and which is made toconform to the bottom of a conventional shopping basket, generallyindicated by reference numeral 11 in Figure 1.

The basket 11 is fabricated from wire, there being vertical strands 12forming the sides and forward end of the basket and horizontalreinforcing strands 13 spaced vertically above the basket bottom andextending along each side and the forward end of the basket. Since theparticular basket shown constitutes one of the type used on telescopingcarriages of conventional and well known manufacture, a rear end gate 14is shown as being hinged for rotation about a horizontal rod 15extending from side to side of the basket at its rear end, the gatebeing pushed upwardly by the front end of another basket thrustthereagainst in nesting the baskets.

Extending around the sides and front end of the basket adjacent itsbottom and parallel with the reinforcing wires 12 is still anotherreinforcing wire 15. This wire serves a definite function in theperformance of the invention in the form thereof shown in Figures 1 to 3in that the width and length of the mat 10 is slightly greater than thelength and width of the bottom of the basket so that the edges of themat will curve upwardly at 16 and will lie against the wires 15 and willthus be held in such upwardly turned positions to define a retainingwall to prevent the flowing or falling off of any substances spilled onthe mat except at the rear end 17 thereof which extends past the rearend of the basket bottom and, being without support, turns downwardly inthe manner shown and is slitted at transversely spaced intervals at a toaccommodate the horizontally parallel wires 17a (Figure 2) in the bottomof the basket.

In order that the mat 10 will remain in proper position in the basket, aseries of longitudinally spaced notches 18 are provided in the edges ofthe mat and are defined as -by cutting or molding, depending on themanner in which the mat is produced. These notches 18 receive thevertical wires 12 of the basket 11 which prevents longitudinal andlateral movement of the mat in the basket while the horizontal wire 15supports in upturned position the edges 16 of the mat for the purposespecified.

It is preferred that the top surface of the mat 10 be smooth whichfacilitates brushing or wiping the same free of substance spilledthereon and which may be swept oh the unobstructed rear end 17 of themat.

In Figure 4 is shown a slightly modified form of the invention. The matis generally indicated by reference numeral 19 and is produced in a moldto define the permanently upwardly curved side edges 20 and end 21. Therear edge 22 is turned downwardly so that it will present no obstructionwhich may interfere with free sliding movement of the front ends ofbaskets into the rear ends of other baskets in nesting carriages, as eX-plained previously.

The edges 23 and 21 of the mat are serrated at 23 and 24, respectively,and these serrations engage indiscriminateiy the vertical wires of abasket, hence the mat is held against longitudinal or lateraldisplacement in the is capable of some modification and suchmodification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning ofthe appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit andintent of the invention.

What is claimed is: a

1. As a new article cf manufacture, the combination with a shoppingbasket having an end, side walls and bottom fabricated from verticallyand horizontally disposed wires, a protective mat of resilient materialadapted to lie flat on the bottom of said basket having two sides and anend supported in upwardly curved position by horizontal wires on thesides and end of said basket, said mat having its edges along said twosides and end notched to receive the vertical wires of said basket tohold said mat against horizontal and lateral displacement with respectto said basket bottom.

2. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a basket havingside, bottom and amend formed with vertical and horizontal wires of aprotective mat conforming to the contour of said basket bottom and whosesides and an end are sustained in raised positions by horizontal wiresin said basket to define retaining walls for substances released in saidbasket, said raised sides and end of said mat being serrated to engagethe vertical wires of said basket sides and end to prohibit longitudinaland lateral displacement of said mat.

3. As a new article of manufacture, the combination with a shoppingbasket having a bottom, sides and an end formed of vertical andhorizontal wires, a protective mat for said basket said mat being in theshape of but of greater length and width than said bottom whereby itssides and an end will be held in raised position by the horizontal wiresof said basket to define a receptacle for substances spilled in saidbasket, the sides and an end of said mat being serrated to receive thevertical wires of said basket to preclude longitudinal and lateralmovement of said mat on said bottom.

References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS743,057 Brown et al. Nov. 3, 1903 1,941,922 Worth Jan. 2, 1934 1,979,578Simmons Nov. 6, 1934 2,606,683 Rudd Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,460Great Britain July 10, 1914

